Reddit is where Boston-area homeowners go to ask whether their patio quote is fair — and the answers are all over the place. I've been building patios here for 37 years, so here are the questions that keep coming up on Reddit, with straight answers and real numbers.
Short answer
A professionally built paver patio in Greater Boston runs about $38 per square foot (typically $35–$42), and bluestone about $50. Quotes go higher with demo, steps, walls, drainage or hand-carried material. The $10–$15 numbers you see on Reddit are close to materials only. Get the base depth and demo broken out on every quote, or run your numbers through our instant estimate.
“Two contractors quoted about $12,500 and $15,500 — roughly $44 a square foot. Is that fair?”
This one comes up in r/landscaping all the time. In the Boston area, yes — that's a normal number. Our paver patios run about $38 per square foot installed, and $44 is right where you'd expect a quote to land once it includes a few steps, some demo, or a tricky access. What matters more than the number is what's under it: how deep the compacted base is, whether it's compacted in layers, and how the edges are held. Two quotes $3,000 apart can be the same job — or two very different patios.
“$10–$15 per square foot is fair for a patio in Cambridge”
You'll see this kind of number in threads like r/CambridgeMA. It isn't a real installed price for Cambridge today. That's close to what the pavers and stone cost. Excavation, six-plus inches of compacted process stone, edge restraint, haul-off, equipment, insurance and a crew carrying everything down a side yard are most of the bill. If someone quotes you $15 a square foot installed in Cambridge, ask what's being left out — it's usually the base. See what a paver patio really costs in Boston.
“I did my own 400 sq ft patio for $2–3K in supplies”
A Boston-suburbs thread had a DIYer say exactly this, and for materials it's believable. If your yard is small, flat and drains well, DIY can work. What that number leaves out: renting an excavator and plate compactor, a dumpster, and getting the pitch right so water runs away from the house. The most expensive patio is the DIY one that heaves after two winters and gets rebuilt. Here's my honest take on DIY vs. hiring a pro.
“$30K for a 630 sq ft patio, including ripping out the old patio and deck. Too high?”
That works out to about $48 a square foot including two tear-outs (thread). Demo and disposal are real money — a deck has to come apart, and an old patio means hauling out tons of material before you even start digging. Not crazy. Ask for demo as its own line so you can see the patio price on its own.
“What will a bluestone patio cost in New England?”
People in r/landscaping usually say “$10K and up,” which is true but vague. Natural bluestone runs about $50 per square foot installed with us, versus about $38 for concrete pavers — roughly a third more. It lasts a lifetime if the base is right. More here: bluestone vs. concrete pavers.
“Quoted $49 a square foot for a permeable paver path near Boston”
From a r/masonry thread. Permeable paving costs more than standard because it needs a deeper open-graded stone reservoir and washed joint stone instead of sand — and a narrow path costs more per foot than a big open driveway. $49 is on the high side for us (our permeable driveways run about $35 a square foot), so ask how deep the stone base is and what's included. Background: permeable vs. regular pavers.
What Reddit gets right
- Get more than one quote. Always.
- The base is everything. Pavers can be reset; a bad base can't.
- Cheap patios cost twice. Most of the tear-outs we do were the low bid.
And the red flags I'd watch for when hiring a landscaper.
Want a real number for your yard?
Get a ballpark in two minutes, or have Allan come look. You'll get a written quote with the base depth, demo and every line spelled out — easy to compare against anyone else's.
Get an Instant Estimate Book a Free Site Visit 📞 (781) 859-5304Reddit patio questions: quick answers
Is $44 a square foot fair for a paver patio in the Boston area?
Yes, that's in the normal range. Our installed price is about $38 per square foot for pavers, typically $35 to $42, and quotes run higher when they include demo, steps, a wall, drainage or hand-carried material. Bluestone runs about $50.
Someone on Reddit said $10 to $15 a square foot is fair. Why are real quotes so much higher?
That number is close to what the pavers and stone cost, not a finished patio. Excavation, 6 or more inches of compacted base, edge restraint, haul-off, equipment and an insured crew are most of the price. In Greater Boston, a professionally built patio is about $35 to $42 per square foot.
Can I build a 400 sq ft patio myself for $2,000 to $3,000?
For materials, yes, that's realistic. What it leaves out is the excavator or a lot of shovel time, the plate compactor, dumpster or haul-off, and getting the base and pitch right. Small, flat and well-drained is a fair DIY job; slopes, drainage problems or tight city access are not.
Is $30,000 too much for a 630 sq ft patio with a deck tear-out?
Not necessarily. That's about $48 per square foot including removing an old patio and a deck, which adds real labor and disposal. Ask for the demo, base depth and edging broken out on the quote so you can compare apples to apples.
Why was I quoted $49 a square foot for a permeable paver path?
Permeable paving needs a deeper open-graded stone reservoir and washed joint stone instead of sand, and narrow paths cost more per foot than big open areas. $49 is on the high side for us, so ask how deep the stone base is and what demo and edging are included.
Published November 9, 2026 · American Elm Landscape LLC, Medford, MA. Reddit questions are paraphrased from public threads, linked above; American Elm Landscape is not affiliated with Reddit. Prices are our typical Greater Boston installed rates as of 2026; your job may differ.